NeuroInterventional Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA

Abstract

Introduction Endovascular embolization in the external carotid artery territory has become a widely accepted treatment for preoperative embolization of head and neck tumors. Tumors about the skull base present a difficult task to the endovascular surgeon because of extent of disease at presentation, and proximity to foramina with transiting cranial nerves and important blood vessels. External carotid to intracranial artery communications present potential for disastrous complications during embolization procedures. Understanding embryology and regular review of high quality images clearly demonstrating these communications are key to real time recognition during embolization and thus avoiding potential complications.

Findings Pre-embolization identification and or exclusion of dangerous extracranial to intracranial anastamoses and blood supply to cranial nerves was possible in all cases. Angiographic identification of these vessels facilitated appropriate vessel selection and catheter positioning for safe embolization.

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.